Remembering 9/11, Soldiers Deploy From 911th Airlift Wing

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MOON TOWNSHIP (KDKA) — Today’s deployment on the 11-year anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks was led by a flag ceremony followed by moments of silence marking the exact times each plane crashed.

“This morning is kind of ironic in the sense that we’re sending our folks off to support operations in the Middle East really that resulted from the events that transpired from 11 years back,” Colonel Craig C. Peters, commander of the 911th Airlift Wing, said.

“This time it’s going be pretty tough because you know he is nine going on 10 and he’s starting to understand what the deployments are about and I feel bad for him as well as my wife because you know, because she’s the only one to take care of the home front,” he said.

“Probably the hardest part will be getting up Christmas morning and it just being the two of us,” Jennifer Westfall added. “That will be the moment where it feels the most lonely, but, you do it.”

The members of 911th Airlift Wing will travel to Maryland and connect with other military transportation, which will then take them to their assignments within southwest Asia.

The deployment is expected to last four months.

“It’s my job, you know,” Westfall said. “I remember September 11th 11 years ago and it was – I have to do my part. And this was my part so, I’m glad to go.”